One last try to convince you guys
Imagine we would implement some kind of movement key that limits your movement to the lowest speed possible, so that everyone can move in the shield wall with the same speed (although not moving in formation is my problem, fighting is).
So people could - and perhaps, if you type enough in chat and coordinate things well enough, a dozen players or so notices this attempt of tactics, will - join your shield wall, in theory you could walk towards the enemy perfectly, by using their own movement keys.
Now if the first enemy approaches this line, how long do you think this formation will persist? 2 secods? 3 perhaps? As soon as the enemy is reached the formation will fall apart, and there will have been no further use than making your approach nice to watch. That's all. No real advantage for fighting was gained.
I hope you understand why I think that tweaking the movement speed of single players won't have a big impact on the fight itself. And it's the fight, I want to change, not the movement. My suggestion to combine the movement of everyone is just to create the basic condition for a controlled and thus superior melee.
And I think it would lead to sime nice tactics on the servers. Too bad I can't just put it in some "test version" and have you guys give it a shot. I bet it would not be as crappy as you imagine it.
I just dont want one person controlling a bulk of ppl and moving them around like his own char. This way all others are just stupid puppets. What next - automatic attacking? 
I don't think it will be that extreme. Keep in mind that the formation can turn only very slowly, and you could make the (already slow) movement start slowly, gaining a little bit speed, and needing some time to slow down and stop again. This way you don't have the usual "dance" you see during duels, and thus you can't really say that one player controls the others like puppets. It's more like he places a flag somewhere, and everyone just follows it perfectly, but slowly as well. Finally I would not mind if the players could move a bit within their boxes, in an area of perhaps 1x1m or 1.5x1.5m.
Casuals can do the job too. This is not a mmorpg where they should grind for months to become usefull. (I'm myself not a generations past pro crpg player at all)
They just need to get basics and some experience. Problem is not casuals anyway. It's randomers who charge mindlessly as village defender in strat battle. Your autoshield wall won't help them at all when they go for some kill and random fun. But it will reduce teamplay skill needed and make shieldwalls easier. It's like removing block directions so casuals don't bother learning it.
You are not so wrong in what you are saying. I will just tell you my opinion about cRPG battles, and you tell me if our opinions differ that much:
- Currently in most cases you have both teams charge each other in a loose formation, most players on one hand stick to the crowd, on the other hand they don't care much about what the others do. It's like "everyone care for his own business, but I would like to care for my business near you guys."
- It is very difficult to address most of the own team by chat, trying to suggest to attack at a certain flank or something like that. Usually if someone suggest a good tactic one third listens to it, the rest just doesn't care, which splits up the team and makes things worse. (IMHO that's the fault of the 2/3, not of the 1/3)
- If you would give the player a cool looking feature (so that everyone immediately sees and knows what's done over there), and if it would grant some serious benefits (e.g. attacking enemies through the shield of a teammate from safe distance - I mean how cool is that?
) people would think: "Oh hey, yes! I want, too!" and join in.
- Due to the fixed formation, you don't have to care for those "sheep" and "lemmings" and "retards" or whatever you see on the servers any more, the feature will automatically make them do something useful. Simultaneously they are not that much puppets, as they are only moved where they are needed, and finally they can always leave, whenever they want.
- This way I hope one of those who always charge on their own into the next group of enemies, with stats like 2:9, will do something useful for the other players, and eventually have some fun themselves. If they don't, they are always free to simply walk past a shield wall under construction.
